Dusting device



Dec. 9, 1941. R. R. ROOT -2,265,493 T DUSTING DEVICE v Filed Nov. 1, 1959 IN VENTOR.

ZZ flap/18 8007" MM X I ATTORNEY? Patented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED STATE DUSTING DEVICE Ralph R. Root, Lakewood, hio,,:assignor to The Root Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application November 1, 1939, Serial No. 302,392

11 Claims.

This invention relates to dusting devices for distributing dusts of the insecticide and fungicide type and as its principal object aims to provide an improved device of this kind in which a more eflicient and satisfactory feeding and distribution of the dust is obtained.

In all prior dusting devices which have come to my attention, the feeding of the dust to the air stream has been more or less irregular and has resulted in an erratic operation in which the dust cloud delivered is at times too light or thin andatother times too dense or heavy, and therefore, as another object of my invention, -I aim to overcome this difficulty by providing an improved dusting device in which suction, or suction combined with an auxiliary air stream or blast, is used for feeding the dust to the main air stream Wherebyflobtain a'substantially complete atomization and accurately regulated feeding of the dust "with the result that for a given setting 'of the device the dust clouds produced thereby will boot substantially uniform density or dust content.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved dusting device of the type having means for creating an air blast and in which means is provided for utilizing a portion of the air blast for feeding the dust to the main air stream.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved dusting device, of the type above referred to, in which adjustable valve means is arranged to control the feeding of the dust to the air stream.

It is also an obiect of my invention to provide an improved dusting device having a dust supply chamber from which dust is fed to the airstream and also having a magazine adapted to contain an additional "or reserve supply of dust, and'in which the construction and arrangementof the supply chamber and magazine produces new .re-, sults and advantages such as the transfer of dust to the supply chamber from the magazine by merely swinging the device to cause agitation or shifting of the 'body of dust -.contained in the magazine.

My invention may .be further briefly summarized -.as consisting in certain novelcombinations and arrangements of :parts hereinafter described and particularly set :out in the appended claims.

in the accompanying sheet of drawings,

Fig. 1 is :a tront elevation showing a dusting device constructed according to my invention;

2 a partial longitudinal sec the device taken substantially as indicated by line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the device as indicated by line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig.4 is a partial sectional view taken through the delivery end of the device and. illustrating the construction thereof on a larger scale;

Fig. 5 is another transverse sectional View taken through the device as indicated by line 55 of Fig. 2; and v Fig. 6 is a partial elevational ing device showing the same applied to another use.

More detailed reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing in which I show a dusting device embodying my improvements and although the dusting device shown in this instance is of the type in which the air pump must be continuously operated, it will be understood, of course, that the invention can also be embodied in various other forms of construction and types of dusting devices.

Theembodiment of my dusting device shown in the drawing, comprises 'in general, a pump 10 for creating 'a blast or stream of air, a container section ll adapted to contain a supply of dust and having means for feeding the dust to the air stream, and a magazine l2 in which a supply of dust may be carried.

As-shown in'Fig. 2, the pump it may comprise a tubular cylinder [3 having therein a slidable piston l4 adapted to be reciprocated by a handle 15a and an actuating rod 15 connected with the handle and extending into the cylinder through the cover [6. The piston 14 may be of the type having a cup-shaped washer ll formed of rubber, leather or other suitable flexible material. The

cover It may be of sheet metal construction and appropriately shaped for connection with the outer end of the cylinder I3. This cover may have a bearing sleeve or bushing I8 thereon formed of wood or any other suitable materialand through which the actuating rod l5 extends. The inner end of the cylinder may have a dished end wall [9 mounted therein and the blast or stream of air created by the inward movement of the piston [4 may be delivered from the cylinder through the axially extending delivery tube 20.

The container section II forms a chamber 2| adapted to contain a quantity of dust which is to be fed to the air blast or stream being delivered from the cylinder l3 to thereby create a dust cloud. This container section may be of cyticnal view of lindrical or'tubular form and may be'arranged as view of my dust-' reserve dished wall I 9 and may extend axially of the container section II to, or into, the assembly unit 23.

This unit 23, which closes the lower end of the container section II and embodies the dust feed.-

ing means, can be best describedby reference. to Fig. 4 in which it will be seen that the unit includes inner and outer dished sections, or covers 25 and 23 The dished inner' cover25 may I be of a size such that its annular skirt or flange q 7 25a fits snugly in the lower end of the container section II. The dishedouter cover 26 may be of a size such that its annular flange or'skirt 26c snugly telescopes over tainer section II. e

The 'unit 23 also embodies a suction chamber or feed chamber 28 adapted to contain an immediate ortemporary supply of dust and having a relatively small volume as compared with the volume ofthe supply chamber 22.

chamber 28 may be formed by a dished member 29 which may besimilar to the inner cover 25 and may fit snugly in the container section II with its annular flange or skirt 29a extending toward and engaging the inner cover 25. For admitting dust to the feed chamber 28 frornthe supply chamber 2|, I provide the transverse- Wall of the member 29 with an opening 30, of appropriate size, across which a screen 3| may extend.

A sleeve or tube section 32 mounted in an opening of the transverse wall of the inner cover 25 surrounds or telescopes the outer end of the delivery tube and forms an axial extension thereof. The dished member 29 hasan opening accommodating the sleeve 32 and may be connected with the sleeve as by the solder 32a. The sleeve 32 has one or more radial openings 33 therein for feeding dust from the feed chamber 28 into the blast or stream of air being discharged through the delivery tube 20 and the extension tube or sleeve 32. r V

To obtainthe above-mentioned efficient atomization and uniform feeding of dust from; the chamber 23 into theair blast or stream being the lower end "of; the con- The feed delivered, I create a suction in the opening or openings 33 tending to draw the dust into the air' blast through these openings. For creating this suction in the openings 33, I provide a'restriction in the air delivery passage in advance of these openings. This restriction may be in the form of a flange-or disk 34 extending transversely of the air delivery passage and having an opening or orifice 35 of appropriate shape and area therein; In this instance the restriction 34 is an inturned flange formed on the inner end of a rotary valve 36 which will be presently referred to. When the blast or stream of air being delivered by the pump l0 through the tube 28 passes through the restricted opening or orifice 35, its pressure and velocity characteristics are so changed as to create a suction in the openings 33 acting in a direction to feed dust from the chamber 28 into the air blast. H V I To permit or facilitate this suction feeding of' dust through the openings 33, I may provide an air stream or auxiliary air blast which :acts to,

ings 33 and the entry of air into the device 7 through an appropriate vent passage or by leakage into the'magazine 12. However,; I prefer to provide a more definite and stronger flow or blast of air for this purpose through the screen 3| into the feed chamber 28. In obtaining this auxiliary air stream or blast, I may utilize a porcan" of the main blast or stream of air being delivered through the tube 28. To this end I may provide the tube 28 with 2. depending branch tube 38' on, the lower side thereof which is arranged; to; diverta portion of the air blast and direct the same against or through the screen 3|. The open outer end of the branch tube 38 is arranged opposite the screen 3| and ris spaced a short distance therefrom so that the auxiliary air blast delivered through this branch tube will. force or carry dust from the supply chamber 22 through the screen into the feed chamber 28.

In thus passing through the screenthe dust will not only be screened for the removal of lumps and foreign articles which might otherwise clog the openings 33 into the main air blast.

} For controlling the feedingofjdust into air blast through the openings 33, I provide theabove-mentioned valve 7 36, which, in thi stance, is a rotary valve of tubular or sleeve- 1 form and is mounted inthetube section orsleev the sleeve 32, the. openings-33-can be opened full or can be opened partially to any desired extentor area for feeding a controlled-amount of dust into the main air blast.

3 The rotary valve 36 may be actuatedby provid;

ing thereon a lever 4 I, which is preferably in the form of a spider, as shown in. Figs. 4 and 5,

42a by which the valve 36 may beconveniently, actuated or adjusted by the person operating the dustingdevice. The spider 4| is retained against axial movement by engagement of its arms 42 in the guide slots 43 and the valve 36 is thereby located or positioned in the sleeve 32. so that the with the openings valve openings 48 will register 33 when the valve is rotated. The valve can also be located axially byconstructing the spider so that the arms thereof are flange .34 of the valve will against the shoulder 45 formed by the outer end of the delivery tube 20.

With the construction and arrangement above described for the feeding and atomizing unit'23,

it will be seen that this unit can be constructed as a. separate assembly and thereafter readily fitted" or applied to the lower end of the'dusting device.

The magazine l2, which, as mentioned above, is adapted to contain a reserve supply of dust, may be of any appropriate size as shown in the drawing, is preferably in the form The valve 36 may be .providedwith radial;

openings 48 similar in number and siz to the openings 33 so that by rotation ofv the valve inj yieldable whereby the be resiliently pressed.

and shape, but

of a cylindrical housing 41 having end walls 48 and. 'Lhe magazine is preferably mounted on the container section H adjacent the upper end thereof with thecylindrical wall 41 coaxial with thecontainer section and with the :latter extendingthrough a central opening of the lower end wall 48. The upper end wall -49 of the'magazine may also have a central opening :in which the dished member I9 is mounted and the magazine may-be connected with the pumpicylinder I3 and the contain'er section M by solder or like material indicated at 50. r

The magazine is in communication'with the interior of the container section 1 I', that is, with the supply chamber 2| through an opening 5| provided in'the containertsection H :adjacent the upper end thereof 'and'wh'en the operator wishes to transfer dust from the :magazine 'tothe supply chamber 2 l, :he agitates or'shiftsthe body of dust contained in the magazineso .that some of this dust will spill through the opening 5|. This can be easily brought about-during the use of the dusting device by simply swinging-the device so as to cause its delivery :end to travel in an arc'up and-over the shoulder of the operator. One such sweep of the device :will readily cause apart of thereserve supply of dust to be transferred from the magazine to thersupply chamber 2|.

For charging or filling the magazine 12 I provide a filling "opening 52 in the curved wall '41 thereof and this may be closed by a cover 53 which is "correspondingly curved to fit snugly against the ioutersurfa'ce of the magazine wall. This cover may be mounted on a hinge '5'4-and may be held in closed position by means of a latch, preferably in the form of a spring bar 55. This spring bar may have an intermediate portion thereof anchored on the cover 53 as by means of the-clip 56 and its oppositely-projecting end portions may engage in slotted ears or lugs i 51 mounted on the end walls of the magazine. When the cover is swung to its closed position and the resilient end portions of the locking bar 55 are sprung so as to engage in the slotted ears 51, as indicated in Fig. 1', the cover will be drawn tightly against the wall of the magazinean'd will prevent the leakage of dust therefrom.

During the use of 'my improved duster, the operator carries the device by grasping the cylinder IS with one hand and operates the pump H] by grasping the handle 15a of the actuating rod with the other hand. above explained, the operation of the pump causes successive blasts of dust-laden air to be delivered through the rotary valve 36 and the opening 261; of the outer cover. The device is ordinarily operated with the delivery end lowered, that is pointing toward the ground, in which condition the supply of dust contained in the supply chamber 2| gravitates to a position in front of the screen 3|. However, since the feed chamber 28 is capable of holding a quantity of dust adjacent the openings 33, and since the feeding of dust through the openings 33 is brought about by suction, or suction in combination with an auxiliary air blast or stream, it will be seen that the device will also operate efficiently for shorter intermittent periods with the delivery end thereof pointing upward as might be desirable for dusting higher branches ,or

foliage.

To adapt the device for more efficient and convenient dusting of the underside of foliage of plants and bushes, I may provide a curved nozzle 58 which may be mounted on a bracket 59 so as to swing from the inoperative full-line opening 26aof the outer cover. When the nozzle is in the latter position, it will be seen that the dust-laden blast of "air will be directed in an angular direction to the longitudinal axis of the device .for the convenient dusting of the underside of ifoliage. The curved nozzle 58 can be seouredin either of the positions just mentioned by a suitable clamping means, 'suchas the wing nut 60.

In addition to the dusting of plants, my inrproved device can be used for other purposes, such :as that of exterminating rodents and to adapt the device for this use the curved nozzle 58 :can be replaced by a straight nozzle '61 to which a those 62 may be connected, as shown in Fig. 6. During this useof'the device, a dust or other chemical poisonous to rodents is placed in the magazine or supply chamber 2| and the blasts of air charged with such poisonous sub stance are directed through the hose 62 into the den of the rodents. The nozzle 6| maybe connected with the dusting device by mounting one side-of the rfiizzle on the bracket 59 as shown-in Fig. 6 and securing the opposite side of the nozzle by means of a screw '63 engaging in the threaded opening it of the cover 26.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing, it will now be readily seen that I have provided a dusting device in which a more efficient and uniform feeding and distribution of the dust is obtained. "It will also be understood that this more efficient action is obtained largely through the use of suction, or suction and an auxiliary air stream or blast-combined, for feeding the dust from the supply chamber to the. main air blast. Likewise, it will be seen that I have provided a novel valve arrangement by which the feeding of the dust can be controlled or adjusted for obtaining a dust cloud of the desired density. The magazine feature of my device also "makes it possible to carry a reserve supply of dust in the device and to easily transfer additional dust from the magazine to the feed'chamber without interruption of the dusting operation.

While I have illustrated and described the improved dusting device of my invention in a somewhat detailed manner, it will be understood, of,

course, that the invention is not to be regarded as limited to the "particular form of device and details of construction herein disclosed, but includes all changes and modifications coming within thescope of the appended claims.

Havingthus described my inventionI claim:

1. In a'de'vice'of the character described, a cylinder having an air delivery passage and a piston operable to produce a blast of air in said passage, means adapted to contain a quantity of dust and having an opening into said delivery passage, and a restriction in said delivery passage ahead of said opening and through which the air is forced to produce a suction in said opening for drawing dust into said passage for delivery with the air blast.

2. In a device of the character described, a cylinder having an air delivery tube, a piston operable in the cylinder for delivering a main blast of air through said tube, means providing a chamber adjacent the tube adapted to contain a quantity of dust and a screened passage normally submerged in the dust and connecting such chamber with the tube, and means for causing an auxiliary flow of air through said chamber and position shown in Fig.2 to 'thebroken iline posi tion in which one end thereof registers with the screened 'passageifor' feeding 'dust' from the latter into said tube. V l I -3. 'In' a device oftthe character described, a cylinder :having an air delivery tube and a piston operable .to produce a blast of air 'insaid tube, means providing. a chamber substantially acoaxia'l with said tube adaptedto contain aquantity.

of dust and having an opening connecting the isame'with said delivery tube,means for causing allow of air through said opening'for feeding dust to said delivery tube, and a rotary. valve slidable'onthe' tube and operable to control such feeding-of dust. Y

,4.'In a--device of the character described, 2. cylinder having an air delivery passage and a piston operable therein for creating a blast of air in said passage, means providing a supply chamberadapted to contain a supply of dust and a feed chamber communicating with the supply chamberand having an opening leading to said delivery passage, and means "for-causing a flow of air for transferring dust to saidfeed chamberfrom said supply chamber and feeding the same through said opening into the delivery passage, said chamber being adapted to retain a quantity of dust adjacent said opening regardless of position in :which the device is held.

5 In a dusting device, a cylinder having an air delivery-passage and a piston operable to create a blast of airin said passage, means providing a feed chamber having an opening for feeding dust into said deliverypassage, said feed chamber being adapted to maintain aquantity of dust adjacent said opening regardless of the position in which the device is held, a dust supply chamber adjacent such feed chamber, and means for utilizing a portion of saidair blast for transferring dust from said supply chamber to said feed chamber.

6. In a dusting device, a cylinder having an air delivery passage and a piston operable to create a blast of air in said passage, means providing, a feed chamber having an opening forfeeding dust into said delivery passage and a dust supply chamber adjacent such feed chamber, a screen between'said supply chamber and said feed chamber, and means for directing a portionof said air blast through said screen for transferring dust from the supply chamber to the feed chamber.

7. In a dusting device, a cylinder having an 'air delivery passage and a piston operable to create a blast of air in said passage, means providing a chamber adapted to contain a quantity of dust and having an opening leading to said delivery passage, and a restriction in said delivery passage arranged to produce a suction in said opening for feeding dust to the delivery passage.

the V 8. In-a dusting device, a cylinder having an 'air" delivery passage and a piston operable -to-create a blastof air in said passage, -means providing a feed chamber having an opening leading to'said delivery passage and adust supply chamber adjacentsaid feed chamber, means for utilizing a portion of said air blast for transferring dust fromsaid supply chamber to said feed chamber, anda restriction in -said delivery passage" arranged to produce asuction insaid opening for feedingdust from the feed chamber to s'aid delivery passage. 5 l 1 9. In a dustingdevice having a delivery tube and. means for producing; an air blast through said tube, a chamber adapted to containa'supply of dust, said tube having a radial opening to said chamber and a restriction ahead of said radial opening forcausing a suction in the latter, and a rotary valve substantially coaxial with said tube for controlling the feeding of dust through said radial opening.

I 10. A dusting device comprising an elongated cylinder having an upper'pump section and also having a lower section forming .a dust supply chamber, a tube extending axially through said supply" chamber, a piston reciprocable in said pump section for creating a blast of air through said tube, a pair ,of disks mounted in said lower section adjacent the outer end thereof and being spaced apart axially to form an auxiliary: dust chamber, said auxiliary dust chamber having, screened communication with said'esupplylcham-v ber for receiving dust therefrom andhavingan opening into said ,tube, and means providing a restriction in saidtube ahead of said opening for, inducing a movement of dust through said opening from said auxiliary chamber into said tube. 11. A dusting device comprising an elongated cylinder having an upper pump section and also, having a lower section forming a dust supply chamber, a tube extending axially through said supply chamber, a piston reciprocable in said pump section for creating a blast of air" through said tube, a pair of disks mounted in'said lower section adjacent the outer end thereof and being spaced apart axially to form an auxiliary dust chamber, said auxiliary dust chamber having screened communication with said supply chamber'for receiving dust therefrom and having an opening into said tube, means providing a restriction in said tube ahead of said opening for inducing a movement of dust through said opening from said auxiliary chamber into said tubev and a rotary valve arranged to control the movement of dust through said opening.

I RALPH R. ROOT. 

